No abstract available.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Aged* ; Humans ; Mental Health* ; Rural Population*

No abstract available.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Aged* ; Humans ; Mental Health* ; Rural Population*

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is characterized by a systemic involvement of tumor-like lesions with IgG4-positive plasmacytes. We experienced a case of IgG4-RD developed in a patient with bronchial asthma (BA) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). A 55-yr-old female patient with BA and CRS complained of both eyes and neck swelling as well as a recurrent upper respiratory infection in recent 1 yr. The serum levels of IgG4, creatinine, and pancreatic enzymes were elevated. A biopsy of the submandibular gland showed an abundant infiltration of IgG4-positive plasmacytes. Her symptoms remarkably improved after the treatment of a systemic steroid that has been maintained without recurrence. We report a rare case of IgG4-RD developed in a patient with BA and CRS.
Asthma/complications/*diagnosis ; Chronic Disease ; Creatinine/blood ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/*blood ; Middle Aged ; Pancreas/enzymology ; Plasma Cells/physiology ; Prednisolone/therapeutic use ; Republic of Korea ; Rhinitis/complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Sinusitis/complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Submandibular Gland/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Organophosphate insecticides poisoning is one of the most common toxicologic emergencies in Korea. There have been few reports of organophosphate intoxication via parenteral route, although many reports on organophosphate intoxication by oral ingestion were present in the literature. This study aimed to validate the clinical characteristics of organophosphage intoxication according to the route of administration to the body. METHOD: Data were collected retrospectively by the review of the medical records from 49 patients with organophosphate intoxication. Severity of intoxication was classified by the Namba's Classification. Collected data were analysed and compared on the clinical features and laboratory findings between the patient intoxicated by inhalation or contact(parenteral group, n=23) and the other oral ingestion(enteral group, n=26). RESULTS: Severity class by clinical features was higher in enteral group than parenteral group. Severity class by serum cholinestetrase level was not positively correlated with severity class by clinical manifestations. Cholinesterase level tended to overestimate the severity of intoxication in parenteral group. Ventilator therapy and admission to intensive care unit were more frequently needed in enteral group than parenteral group in case that the severity class by clinical features was equal. CONCLUSION: In patients with organophosphate intoxication by parenteral route, serum cholinesterase level of the patient had disparity with clinical severity of intoxication. Considering this disparity, clinical severity should be considered as a more important indicator for treatment of organophosphate intoxication including atropinization, rather than serum cholinesterase level in patients intoxicated by parenteral route.
Cholinesterases* ; Classification ; Eating ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Insecticides* ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Plasma* ; Poisoning ; Retrospective Studies ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Background: The On-X valve was recently introduced. It was the aim of this study to assess the safety and feasibility from the data derived from 28 patients who underwent aortic and/or mitral valve replacement with this prosthesis in National Medical Center. Material and Method: From May 1999 and May 2003, a series of 28 consecutive patients who had been implanted with 32 On-X prosthesis were reviewed. The operative procedure comprised of 12 MVR, 10 AVR and 6 DVR. The study followed the guidelines of AATS/STS. Mean follow-up was 27 months (total 64 patient-years). Result: Early ( Bilirubin ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Freedom ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Heart Valves* ; Heart* ; Hematocrit ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mitral Valve ; Mortality ; Prostheses and Implants ; Reference Values ; Reticulocytes ; Surgical Procedures, Operative

Krukenberg tumor of the primary breast carcinoma is rare and this is almost invasive lobular carcinoma. They are usually bilateral and frequent in premenopausal women. Diagnosis of symptomatic Krukenberg tumor is reported to be 1 or 2 year after the diagnosis of primary neoplasm. But sometimes it is discovered prior to the detection of the primary breast carcinoma. Unexpected ovarian micrometastasis was recognized after oophorectomy of normally appearing ovaries in breast cancer patients. Existence of Krukenberg tumor means advanced primary disease and possible metastasis to other organs, and have a poorer prognosis. We report a case of Krukenberg tumors occurred 3 years after the diagnosis of primary ductal type breast carcinoma.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Krukenberg Tumor* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis ; Ovariectomy ; Ovary* ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: Gastric adenocarcinoma is the most common malignant tumor in Korea and immunochemotherapy can be alternative method of the treatment for it. So we evaluated several immunologic markers, Major Histocomatibility (MHC) Antigen and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule (ICAM)-1 which play an important roles in cellular immune response of the host to the tumar cells, HLA-DR/DP antigens, one of the MHC class II which is expressed in various conditions, CD 68 antigen which are also important factor in immune response to the tumor cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the expression of MHC class II (HLA-DR/DP) antigens, ICAM-1 and the number of tumor-infiltrating macrophages presenting CD68 antigen in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 95 gastric adenocarcinomas using immunohistochemistry. In addition to analyze the relationship between expression of these antigens in gastric adenocarcinoma, histolopathologic findings such as tumor invasion, regional lymph node metastasis and histologic differentiation are evaluated. RESULTS: The rate of HLA-DR/DP expression was 60% and strongly associated with tumor differentiation, invasion and regional lymph node metastasis. ICAM-1 was expressed in 15% and slightly increased in well-differentiated carcinoma. The lack of expression of ICAM-1 was observed in high invasive tumor (T 4). CD 68(+) macrophages counts were significantly increased in around the tumor cells, compared to normal epithelia. HLA-DR/DP expression and infiltrating CD 68(+) macrophage numbers were significantly associated (p<0.05), but there was no correlationship between ICAM-1 and CD 68(+) macrophage numbers. CONCLUSION: It was considered that enhanced expression of HLA-DR/DP antigens, ICAM-1 and CD68(+) macrophages in gastric adenocarcinomas may be an immunophenotypic deviation. HLA-DR/DP and CD68(+) macrophages infiltration showed correlationship with tumor invasion and regional lymph node metastasis, that they may be used as a prognostic factor of the tumor growth.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Biomarkers ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Macrophages* ; Neoplasm Metastasis

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine characteristics of host, causative organisms, and antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria in pediatric patients with UTI living in metropolitan area of Korea. METHODS: Retrospective investigation was done for the causative organisms of UTI in 683 pediatric cases treated at Ajou University Hospital from 2012 to 2017. Patients were classified into Escherichia coli and non-E.coli group, where E.coli group was subdivided into ESBL(+) and ESBL(−) groups based on whether the bacteria could produce extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL). Antibiotic susceptibility of the causative organism was also determined. RESULTS: A total of 683 UTIs occurred in 550 patients, of which 463 (67.8%) were first-time infection and 87 (32.2%) were recurrent ones (2–7 recurrences, 2.52 average), and 64.9% were male and 35.1% were female. The most common causative organism was E.coli (77.2%) and ESBL(+) E.coli was found in 126 cases. The susceptibility of E.coli to 3rd or 4th generation cephalosporin was relatively higher than that to ampicillin or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. ESBL(+) E.coli showed higher resistance rate to 3rd or 4th generation cephalosporin than ESBL(−) E.coli . CONCLUSION: New treatment guideline should be considered due to the incidence of ESBL(+) E.coli increased up to one quarter of UTI cases.
Ampicillin ; Bacteria ; beta-Lactamases ; Child ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Escherichia coli ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Urinary Tract

BACKGROUND: Owing to the fact that the average life span has increased and the progress in medical science has been made, the number of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) who have to take hemodialysis (HD) has been going up gradually. Accordingly, it is considered to be as a significant issue to obtain blood vessels which can be used repetitively and supply enough blood flows. Therefore, there have been various kinds of study on an inosculation rate andfactors influencing it following an arteriovenous fistula (AV fistula) and lots of studies are ongoing for the purpose of escalating the inosculation rate. The authors analyzed the effects of short-term result, age, sex, diabetes and hypertension on arteriovenous inosculations in 134 anatomical snuffbox operated subjects among the patients who have taken an AV fistula at this center. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Based on 134 patients who underwent an AV fistula at the department of thoracic surgery of this center from July, 2000 to May, 2004, the difference in arteriovenous inosculation rate was compared and analyzed depending on age (discriminated by 65-year-old), sex and the condition of the presence or absence of diabetes and hypertension. Correlation analyses were conducted for each parameter and statistical tests were performed by using SPSS for windows Release 11.0.1, which were determined to be statistically significant if p value was below 0.05. RESULT: The total number of operations was 169 including 35 of re-operations. The male/female rate was 70:64 (52%:48%). The average age was 56.3+/-12.26 years and there were 33 (24%) old aged patients above 65-year-old; there were 103 (71%) patients with hypertension and 90 (67%) patients with diabetes. Overall arteriovenous inosculation rate was 93+/-2.4%, 91+/-2.7%, 89+/-3.0% at 6, 12, 24 months, respectively. The arteriovenous inosculation rate of above 65-year-old patient group was 85+/-4.8%, 80+/-5.8%, 80+/-5.8% and below 64-year-old patient group's was 85+/-4.8%, 80+/-5.8%, 80+/-5.8% at given time points, respectively, which showed higher inosculation rate in below 64-year-old patient group with a statistical significance (p=0.0034). However, no statistical significance was found between the patients with hypertension and diabetes and the patients with no complication. In addition, there was no statistical significance in inosculation rate between male and female. CONCLUSION: The arteriovenous inosculation ratewas higher in the treated patient below 64-year-old than in the treated patient above 65-year-old. Thus it is advantageous for increase in long-term inosculation rate to obtain hemodialysis routes at an early age. The conditions of sex and the presence or absence of diabetes and hypertension do not make statistically significant effect on the arteriovenous inosculation rate.
Aged ; Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Blood Vessels ; Female ; Fistula ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Dialysis ; Thoracic Surgery

BACKGROUND: Nationwide external quality assessment (EQA) of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in Korea was first introduced in 2007-2009. The EQA results were analyzed to assess the current status of FOBT and to plan the continuation of the EQA program. METHODS: The surveys included 40 hospitals in the preliminary survey conducted in 2007, 249 general hospitals in 2008, and 389 hospitals in 2009. In the surveys, the participating hospitals provided the results of the distributed materials and replies to the questionnaire on the FOBT test procedures and quality controls. RESULTS: In the surveys conducted between 2007 and 2009, a total of 650 institutes submitted 653 test system results; 3 institutes used 2 kinds of methods. All of the institutes used immunologic methods; 107 institutes (16.5%) used quantitative equipments and 546 institutes (84.0%) used qualitative kits. Most quantitative tests yielded consistent positive or negative results; however, their cut-off and measured values differed according to the equipments used. A low-level material tested in 2007 was negative in the quantitative methods but positive in some qualitative methods because of lower detection limits. The discordance rates among quantitative tests were 3.2% in 2007, 4.4% in 2008, and 0% in 2009 and the rates among qualitative tests were 13.8% in 2008 and 2.6% in 2009. Semi-solid EQA materials showed the ability to evaluate the overall test procedures with acceptable stability. CONCLUSIONS: In the first Korean FOBT EQA, commercially available EQA materials were proven to be stable. Continuation of the EQA program and further education of laboratory personnel are needed to reduce inconsistency in results. Further, the test kit, procedures, and result reports must be standardized.
Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnosis ; Data Collection ; Hemoglobins/analysis/immunology/standards ; Humans ; Laboratory Techniques and Procedures/instrumentation/standards ; *Occult Blood ; Quality Control ; Questionnaires ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Temperature